The present invention relates generally to the field of rotating machinery, and more particularly, to arrangements for securing a shaft or similar rotating member in a hollow support member, such as a bearing assembly.
A wide range of rotating machinery is known and currently in use in industrial and other applications. In many such applications shafts or hubs are supported for rotation within hollow members, such as bearings and other mechanical supports. The shaft or hub may be driven in rotation by a prime mover, such as an electric motor or engine, or may be linked to various power transmission elements such as chain drives, belt drives, transmissions, pulleys, and so forth. In all such applications, mounting structures are typically required to support the rotating and non-rotating members with respect to one another in a manner sufficient to resist loading, while still allowing for free rotation of the rotating members.
When mounting rotating elements on or within bearings, several key considerations generally come into play. For example, the bearing and associated coupling or mounting structures must be capable of withstanding the anticipated loads of the application. Moreover, the mounting structures should allow for the desired balancing or centering of loads within or about the bearing assemblies. Also, the mounting arrangements should prevent premature wear or fretting of the shaft or other mounting components, and thus provide for a maximum life in normal use. Finally, the mounting structures would ideally be relatively straightforward in application, permitting the shaft or hub and bearing assemblies to be installed without undue expense, both in terms of time and parts. The latter concern extends to dismounting or disassembling the various components for servicing and replacement when necessary.
Although mounting structures have been developed that address these concerns, further improvement is necessary. For example, various tapered locking structures have been developed that force tapered members between a shaft and a mounting hub or bearing. A wide range of structures have been developed to force a tapered sleeve, for example, into engagement between a hollow member and a shaft. Such structures provide good mechanical support and allow for tight engagement of the hollow member and shaft. In certain known arrangements, the foregoing structures are incapable of accommodating system expansion or misalignment, thereby increasing the wear and eventually damaging a bearing assembly, a tapered sleeve, and other associated components of the system. Existing mounting components also can be expensive to manufacture and difficult to assembly and disassemble.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved system for mounting a shaft or similar mechanical component within a hollow member. There is a particular need for a straightforward and reliable system for supporting tapered rollers in a bearing assembly with a desired bearing clearance. A need also exists for a bearing assembly capable of accommodating system expansion and misalignment.